Effect of irradiated human lung fibroblasts on activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in mesenchymal stem cells / 浙江大学学报·医学版

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To investigate the effect of irradiated human lung fibroblasts (HLFs) on the canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (HUMSCs).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>HUMSCs were cultured alone (single group) or co-cultured with HLFs exposed to 5Gy X-rays (co-culture group). The protein levels of GSK-3β, p-GSK-3β, FRAT1 and β-catenin in HUMSCs were examined by Western blotting 3 days after culture or co-culture. WISP-1 protein levels in conditioned medium were examined by ELISA.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The levels of p-GSK3β/GSK3β (0.15 ± 0.05), FRAT1 (0.48 ± 0.07) and β-catenin (0.50 ± 0.07) in co-cultured HUMSCs significantly decreased compared to those in single group (0.55 ± 0.05, 1.16 ± 0.13 and 2.39 ± 0.15, all P<0.05). The supernatant level of WISP-1 in co-culture group was significantly decreased [(602.23 ± 161.47) ng/mL], compared to the single group [(977.77 ± 110.56) ng/mL, P<0.05].</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>Irradiated HLFs attenuate the activation of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway in HUMSCs in vitro.</p>

Impact of tracheal mucosa involvement on clinical characteristics of sarcoidosis.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the impact of tracheal mucosa involvement on the clinical features of sarcoidosis. METHODS: The clinical data of sarcoidosis patients with (Group A, n = 26) and without (Group B, n = 61) tracheal mucosa involvement were evaluated retrospectively. RESULTS: The proportion of patients suffering from cough in Group A was 92.3%, which was significantly higher than that in Group B (49.2%). The level of serum angiotensin-converting enzyme I (SACE) in Group A (60.7 ± 27.8 IU/L) was significantly higher than that in Group B (44.5 ± 31.9 IU/L). The proportion of lymphocytes in the bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (BALF) in Group A was significantly higher than that of Group B (45.3 ± 16.8% and 36.7 ± 15.1%, respectively; P = 0.047). The ratio of CD4 to CD8 in Group A was significantly higher than that in Group B (7.6 ± 5.4 and 3.1 ± 3.2, respectively; P = 0.005). In Group A, 84.6% patients received drug treatment, with a spontaneous remission rate of 15.4%. In Group B, 50.2% patients received drug treatment and the spontaneous remission rate was as high as 49.2%. CONCLUSIONS: Sarcoidosis with tracheal mucosa involvement that can lead to cough and other respiratory symptoms, may be a manifestation of sarcoidosis activity, and usually requires drug treatment (including corticosteroid treatment).